Noting that the foreign direct investment in the country has reduced significantly during the current fiscal year, Chairman Intellectual Proterty Rights (IPO) Pakistan has stressed the need for enhancing the law enforcement against piracy and infringement of Intellectual Porperty Rights (IPRs). He said this while chairing a media consultative forum on IPRs under the European Union (EU) funded Trade Related Technical Assistance (TRTA-II) programme on Tuesday.
Showing concern that Pakistan was included in the priority watch list against IPR violation for the last several years and there was need to improve law enforcement against piracy and infringement by the law enforcement agencies especially FIA and Customs. “ Ministry of Interior has assured us to hold an international conference to apprise the international community about the steps against piracy of IPRs”, he added.
It is a fact that the countries which have protected IPRs have developed, as it gives more confidence to investors and reduces capital flight, he said adding that the IPR ordiance has already given shape and enactment of the bill into an act was awaited from the parliament. He said establishment of IPR tribunals was proposed under the ordinance to speedily decide IPR cases.
He said that the offices of IPO will be soon opened in Balochistan and Kyber Phatunkhwa and an electonic trademark general will be soon available online, to promote registeration and protection of IPRs in the country. Noting that if IPRs laws were strictly implemented in the country then the late eminent singer Medhi Hassan would have no need to seek financial support from anybody during his illness. The royalty of his numerous famous songs would have been enough for him and his family. “We are working on a collective management organization to protect the IPRs of writers, singers and other artists”, he added.
Dr. Mansur Raza of World Intellectual Property Orginazation (WIPO) said it is important to inform businesses that IPRs provide economic rights which result in benefits for over the years. He gave the example of Korean music which was poplualr in all east asian countries and resulting in economic returns, which was only achived by first implementing IPRs locally.
Promoting IPRs in the country will lead to flourishing of small companies by patenting technology. He said that unfortunately rank of Pakistan in global innovation list was below Bangladesh.
Dr. Arshard of NUST said that his university was formulating a IPR policy with the help of IPO. And a technology incubation center is established at the university and 4 companies have graduated while 19 other were still in incubation.
